


Just us and the stars

by Ziril



Category: Kamen Rider Kabuto, Ultraman R/B (TV)
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 13:34:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16577489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ziril/pseuds/Ziril
Summary: As Katsumi was close to finishing his second lap he saw something in the corner of his eye.It was a man...playing catch?At this hour?





	Just us and the stars

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this tumblr post:  
> https://softboiled-detective.tumblr.com/post/179854199165/i-kinda-actually-wanna-write-a-katsumikagami

Moonlight shone dimly through the park and the night air gently cooled him down as he jogged along the path.

Katsumi loved nights like this. No one around just him and the stars. The perfect place to relax and train.

As Katsumi was close to finishing his second lap he saw something in the corner of his eye. It was a man...playing catch?

At this hour?

Katsumi slowed his jog and tried to get a better look. A guy about his age was pitching by the old oak tree in the middle of the park. He looked..upset. His shoulders were rigid and he kept throwing the baseball at the tree seemingly unconcerned of where it would land. Katsumi walked over a little closer not noticing a stray branch in his path.  
_Crack! ___  
The man quickly turned towards him.  
Katsumi held up his arms. “Ah sorry I was just. Well I saw you pitching and I... I’m sorry if I bothered you.”  
"Oh it's fine." The man relaxed but Katsumi noticed his posture was still on the defensive. He picked up his stray ball. “Must be weird to see someone pitch at this time of night huh?” The stranger mused.

“Well not really. I jog here a lot at this hour. Helps me clear my thoughts.” Katsumi replied putting his hands down. 

The guy blinked, probably not expecting an answer. He then made a sound that was some sort of combination of a sigh and a chuckle.

“Yeah been trying to do that actually.”

Katsumi stepped a bit closer.

“Did something happen?”

“Hmm. Bad day I guess.” The man said, absentmindedly tossing the ball from one hand to another.

Katsumi shouldn't pry and he doesn’t but the way the other man gave him the sense that he shouldn’t be left alone. He needs to be cheered up. But how? What would Asahi do?

Give him candy probably but he didn’t have any on him right now and besides wouldn't it be weird for a stranger to just give you candy while you were practicing-

A light bulb went off in his head.

“Could you wait here for a second? I'll be right back I promise.”

Kagami wound up his arm and threw.  
He didn’t really know why he left his apartment and went out in the cold night.  
_That’s a lie. ___  
Yeah. He knew why.  
He picked up his ball.  


He was walking home from an evening of drinks with Misaki when he saw an old poster for a movie he and Ryo watched a few years ago. It was a sci-fi flick that he couldn't make heads or tails of but he remembered how much Ryo liked it. How he raved about the trailers and begged to go watch it. How he laughed so hard at the climax he almost choked on his popcorn.

He gripped the ball in his hand.

Only..he couldn't.

Every time he tried to picture it there wasn’t any sound. He could see the colour of his faded hoodie he wore. He could smell the caramel chocolate popcorn Ryo always had when they went to that particular cinema. Hell, he could somehow remember Ryo's favourite line.

But his laugh…

Every time he tried to remember his laugh, it was just an echo. It’s only been 3 years and he could barely remember the sound his own brother’s laugh. Some brother he is.

Kagami looked as his fingers turned white against the ball.  
“Hey!”  
Kagami turned. Oh jogging guy was back. The stranger grinned and held something up.  
A glove?  
The other man sensing his question answered. ”I always keep one in my bag, just in case I need it. Thought you could use another player?" 

Kagami felt his lips quirk up.

“Fair enough.”

He tossed the ball to the other man who easily catched it. “Ah I forgot to introduce myself. Minato Katsumi.”

Kagami nodded. “Kagami Arata.”

“Nice to meet you Arata-san.”

“..Arata-san?” 

"Oh ah well.” The other man rubbed his neck. “I thought we were the same age, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have presumed.”

“Think we are actually.” He chuckled. "Arata’s fine. Most people don’t use my first name a lot is all.”

The other man brightened. “Well then nice to meet you Arata-san!”

“Likewise Katsumi-san.”

They started to play catch and Kagami felt himself unwind.

“You’re pretty good Katsumi-san.” He said as barely managed to catch the ball Katsumi threw at him.

“Thanks. I used to play a lot when in high school.”

“Used to?” He tossed the ball back.

“My dad needed help around the store so I quit to work there.”

“Ah. What kind of store?”

“Clothes. We sell bags, shoes, pants and very, very lame t-shirts.”

“Eh?”

“My dad designs shirts. His dream is to make his own clothing brand but all of his designs are so weird. He always orders a ton of them in bulk when he gets a new design idea and we can never sell any of them. They all have these weird puns and jokes on them. One of his ‘better’ ideas was a shirt that just said ‘IT’S SPACE’ in a really weird font.”

Kagami smothered a laugh as he threw the ball back at Katsumi.“Sounds rough.”

“You have no idea. I don’t know how we haven’t gone under yet honestly.” Katsumi threw particularly well at that moment.

“Nice shot. You get along well?”

“Hm?”

“You and your dad.”

“Oh yeah he might be a terrible designer but he’s a fantastic parent. He dotes on us and treats me and my siblings great.”

“Siblings?”

“A brother and a sister, both younger. They’re pretty awesome.” Katsumi smiled a smile that was full of pride and and brotherly affection.

He wondered if he ever looked like that when he talked about Ryo.

“My younger brother, Isami is a science whiz. He always works on these really weird experiments in the middle of the house even when we have customers. We fight and argue a lot but he’s my best friend. My little sister, Asahi, she’s the best sister a brother could ask for,”

Kagami imagines what Tendou would say to that, shudders and vows to never let Katsumi meet him.

Actually make that never let him anywhere near the vicinity of his new friend, he seemed way too nice to deserve dealing with Tendou’s antics.

“She always cheers me and Isami up when we’re down. She knows just what to do when she sees someone sad. A regular ball of sunshine. We have a lot of fun in here. Ha, I remember one time when-Oh sorry I was rambling.”

“It’s fine. It must be nice to have a family like that.”

He tries to remember the last time he and his father spent any quality time together.  
Must have be really nice.  


“Yeah they’re great. Do you have any siblings?”

That stopped Kagami mid throw.

Katsumi furrowed his eyebrows at Arata.  
“Is something wrong?”

“No! No.” His new friend quickly answered. “Yeah. I have a little brother. His name’s Ryo. He wa-he’s cool. Really cool, way cooler than me. We played baseball together a lot here. He’s pretty energetic. Always running around, drives my dad crazy.” Arata played with the ball in his hand, eyes in a faraway place.

Katsumi carefully chose his next words. “I know that feeling. Thinks he knows everything and does everything he does in his own way?”

“Yeah!” Arata laughed and Katsumi smiled.

“Isami’s like that too. Always jumping to conclusions and wandering around doing research. I spend half my time worrying about him. Brat doesn’t even care about the headaches he gives me.”  


“Heh. Ryo does that. He always calls me a nag and a worrywart.”

The tossed the ball back and forth in silence for a while until Arata spoke up.

"Hey Katsumi-san? Why were you jogging this late?"

"I'm training for a game. I'm on my neigbourhood's baseball team, the White Bears."

"Really? That sounds fun."

"Yeah. We don't have many games but it's really fun to play with everyone. I know! Maybe you could come watch sometime?"

"Me? Are you sure?"

"I'm sure! The more the merrier."

Arata looked thoughtful. "That'd be..that'd be nice yeah." 

Arata threw an admittedly weak pitch at him.  
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly “ my arm’s getting tired.”

“Oh it’s fine. I put my bag on a bench right over there. Want to take a break?” He said, pointing a finger to aformentioned bench.

Arata stopped and looked at him with something akin to wonder. “I'd like that.” He smiled again.

( He thinks he hears him mutter 'Tendou would have just told me to build up my strength.' But he doesn't comment.)

They walked over to the bench and Katsumi noticed Arata was less tense, shoulders at ease and mouth in an easy-going smile.

Mission accomplished, new friend happy. Asahi would be proud.

They both took a seat and he handed Arata his water bottle.

“Thanks.”

While Arata drank Katsumi enjoyed the rare moment of silence he almost never has at home, and admired the stars abive him. 

Arata gave him his bottle back and he reclined on the bench. “Pretty aren't they? The stars I mean.” Katsumi said.

“Yeah." Arata hummed. "It’s nice sometimes. Taking a seat and just enjoying them.”

“Yeah. My parents loved stargazing with us when we were kids.”

Isami loved it the most. He and mom would look at the stars with old telescope they had nearly every night.

“We made up the weirdest constellations. Ah, think I see one now.”

He pointed at a cluster of stars.  


“Sooo, what am I looking at?” Arata asked resting his head on his hand.

“That is what my little sister called panda knight.”

“A what?”

“Panda knight.” At Arata’s confused gaze he explained more. “A panda with a sword, ergo panda knight.”

Arata squinted his eyes.  
“..I think I can see it?”  


“I for one thinks it looks more like a dog.”

They all argued for hours on that. Asahi was andamant it was a panda knight, Isami said it was some type of fairy creature and he very much wanted to scream at them that it was clearly a dog. Mom and dad had to bribe them with extra cookies to make up with each other.  


“Nah, I say it looks more like a cat.” Arata said.

Katsumi quickly turned his head to him. “No, it’s a dog.” He said firmly.

“It looks feline to me.”

“It’s tail is way too big for a cat’s!”

“There are plenty of cats with big tails!” Arata argued.

“It’s face is rectangular, it is clearly a dog.”

“Are we looking at the same constellation?”

“Are we?”

They mock glared at each other before dissolving in a fit of giggles.

“..still say it’s a dog.”

Arata giggled again.

They both shivered as a cool wind blew past them.

“It’s getting late. We should probably leave soon.”

Arata nodded before suddenly gaining a thoughtful expression.

Katsumi was about ask what was wrong when Arata spoke up.

“Katsumi-san, if you wouldn't mind.... could we do this again?"

 

Kagami clarified when Katsumi tilted his head. “Talk. Play catch. I don't really come here a lot,” he usually avoids looking at the place if he can “but it was fun hanging out with you.”

It really was. Talking to each other and enjoying the night sky. He hasn't felt this peaceful in a while.  
He couldn't envision doing this with Tendou or the the others. Knowing them they'd just compete or argue the entire time.

He turned to Katsumi who had a thoughtful look on his face. “You know what? That’d be nice. You’re way better at pitching than Isami is anyway.”

He grinned and Kagami could feel his own lips quirking up. They exchanged numbers and sat together for a little while longer until another gust of wind went by and they decided that yeah they really should go home now.

Kagami looked over to the other man and maybe he was still a little tipsy, maybe it was the mood or the kindness in Katsumi’s eyes (When was the last time a stranger’s been this kind to him? Kagami couldn’t recall) but as he stood up to leave he gave Katsumi a little peck on the cheek.

“Thanks for the company Katsumi-san. Good night.”

He took his ball and glove and quickly left heat rising in his cheeks. As he slowed down, far enough that Katsumi couldn't see him, he glanced at the stars and felt lighter then he's ever felt in a while. 

Katsumi touched the place where Arata kissed him and slowly waved at his back.  
“Good night. Don-don't mention it.” He murmured against his breath, dazed.

(At that moment he decided that he would very much enjoy meeting with Kagami Arata again)

**Author's Note:**

> Let it be known that I haven't watched Kabuto in Years. So any inacuraccies in characterization, my bad.


End file.
